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Infectious Esophagitis

Esophagitis is swelling and irritation of your esophagus. The esophagus is the tube you use to swallow. It connects the back of your throat to your stomach. The most common cause of swelling and irritation of the esophagus is stomach acid that flows back into your esophagus.

But infections can also cause this swelling and irritation. Fungi, yeast, viruses, and bacteria can all set off the condition, called infectious esophagitis. Anyone can get it, but you are more likely to develop it if your immune system is weakened.

Causes

Infectious esophagitis can be caused by fungi, yeast, viruses, and bacteria.

Symptoms

These are symptoms of infectious esophagitis:

Pain when swallowing

Difficulty swallowing

Mouth pain

Chest pain

Nausea or vomiting

Chills or fever

Risk factors

People with a normal immune system are unlikely to get infectious esophagitis. If you have a medical condition or are undergoing treatment that weakens your immune system, you could be at risk. These conditions put you at risk:

HIV/AIDS

Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation treatments

Diabetes

Bone marrow or stem-cell transplant treatment

Medicines that depress the immune system, such as steroids or medicines taken after an organ transplant

Long-term antibiotic use

Medicines that limit how much stomach acid you produce

Alcohol abuse

Advanced age can also make you more likely to get it.

Diagnosis

Your healthcare provider may suspect infectious esophagitis if you have symptoms of esophagitis along with a condition that weakens the immune system.

To make a diagnosis, your healthcare provider may order certain tests:

Endoscopy. During this outpatient procedure, the gastroenterologist passes a thin, flexible scope through your mouth to examine your esophagus. He or she might take swabs and scrapings to find the cause of an infection if he or she sees signs, such as white patches, fluid-filled blisters, or sores in your esophagus.

Drug Reference

Saint Peter's University Hospital is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Saint Peter's is a state-designated children's hospital and a regional perinatal center, and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and an affiliate of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.